Typically, in a network of managed devices, such as automated teller machines (ATMs), agents collect performance metric data relating to the operation of components of the managed devices and send alert messages when a device malfunctions. In the case of ATMs typical components that are managed include a card reader, a receipt printer, a cash dispenser, a journal printer, a display, a keypad, and a deposit module comprising either, or both, of a check deposit unit and a cash deposit unit. In the case of a network of ATMs, each ATM runs agents, for example SNMP agents that monitor a number of performance metrics associated with the operation of the ATM including, inter alia, the status of components of the ATM.
The ATM transmits the data across a communications network to a network management system (NMS), such as Gasper Vantage, available from N.C.R. Corporation of Dayton, Ohio. The NMS runs applications that manage and control the managed devices. Currently, when a new device is added to the network the new device is not monitored until the device owner has added additional details to the NMS database. This requires the device owner to scour an exception log that that identifies messages received from a network host when the device detailed in the message is not detailed in the NMS system.